The government formally approved, in its weekly session Sunday, the appointment of Tamir Pardo to head 'Mossad,' the agency in charge of Israel's overseas espionage and covert activity.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak used the opportunity to publicly deny reports in news outlets that he had vehemently opposed Pardo's appointment in a discussion with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

"These stories have no basis in reality,” Barak stated, “and only Netanyahu and I know the content of the conversations we hold.”

Barak lavished compliments upon the outgoing Mossad head, Meir Dagan. “The decision to appoint Meir Dagan was one of the best decisions made by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon,” he said.

Barak said that Pardo is the right man to “jump start” the Mossad forward toward new goals. He told of his longtime acquaintance with Pardo, spoke of Pardo's varied operational experience, and lauded his personal qualities of responsibility and presence of mind.